The World You Left Behind
by aesir.2501004
Summary: Not a lot of fics about Uncle Chuck, so i made my own! Charles Hedgehog tears his ACL and Meniscus, hurting his pride and causing him to shut the world out. Rated M for gruesome injuries and swearing, along with painful injury rehab! Please read and review! First fic!


CAUTION: DISTRESS, INJURIES, AND SCENES OF PAIN (I HOPE YOU ENJOY)

**Chapter 1 : ACLM**

**I own nothing but the story. Sonic belongs to SEGA. Everyone else belongs to their respective owners.**

**I really like him, as you will see from all my coming fics. He doesn't deserve what I've done to him, but here we go.**

**One of my friend's friends hurt these two body parts at the same time, so that inspired me to write this.**

**Also, I have seizures when I'm in pain, so I decided to incorporate that into this story as well.**

**So here you go. A fic about Charles Hedgehog resting in pieces.**

**Enjoy! :)**

-Æsir

He breathed in a breath of fresh air as he was parked at the red light that would lead him the freeway. Looking around him, he silently scolded himself for not getting out more often. Mobotropolis was a beautiful city, but ever since he moved back to Knothole, he couldn't find the time to get out and enjoy nature. Yes, everything in Mobotropolis was more chaotic, but what could be more chaotic than a supersonic hedgehog living under his own roof? Turning his head back to the street, he glanced down at his speedometer to find a chip in glass. He thought back to last motorcycle crash he had experienced. Nothing major had happened, but he was still admitted to a stay at Dr. Quack's for a minor concussion.

He was snapped out of his flashback when he heard a honk. Not at him, but it still did the job. He revved up his engine and entered the freeway, accepting the inviting breeze that whistled against the grooves of his helmet. He had gotten a new, sturdier one after the concussion that left his head aching for a week. As a scientist, he knew when upgrades were needed, and a eighty dollar helmet was good enough for him.

He decided to steal a quick glance at the few cars behind him. The hum of his engine was a comforting sound. It made him feel safe, despite the dangers bikers faced every time the got on their ride. Everything seemed perfect. The sky, the weather, even his work day was a breeze. He laughed silently as he thought about that one wacky effect he had heard about on tv. Apparently, when the day goes swell, something bad is bound to happen at night.

Making a quick lane change, he began to focus on his surroundings. Maybe the girl on tv was right. He thought back to his day and how everything had gone perfect. He woke up, ate an exceptional breakfast and headed to work. The cadets had been great. Training had gone alright, better than usual. Now, he was heading home as the sun set to a bright glaze of orange and pink. Anything could go wrong. He was filled with a underlying sense of dread as he recalled the last crash. It had been completely unprecedented. Out of nowhere, a pickup slammed into the side of his motorcycle, shattering the small side mirror. He shook the thought out of his head and read the freeway signs. He had two and a half miles until his exit for Knothole.

For some odd reason, he just couldn't get the thought out of his head. It's like his mind was warning him to stay cautious, but he was ignoring it. 'I'm probably just paranoid,' he thought.

Two miles. He couldn't wait to get home. Sliding his right foot forward slightly, he allowed his knee to straighten to avoid a incoming cramp. A mile and a half. He couldn't focus. He was scared. He would never admit it, but he was indeed paranoid. He let out a sigh as he let his muscles relax and tuned his mind out for just a second to calm his nerves. Huge mistake.

Within the second, a convertible two lanes away lost control and swerved into the lanes surrounding. Charles' eyes shot open as he heard the squeal of tires. Had he been focused, his organized mind and high iq could have easily avoided the car. Instead, he panicked. His breathing increased as he reared his right foot back to gain some leverage and pull back the breaks. Slowing down, the bike halted to a quick stop as the convertible slammed into the bike at full speed.

Charles acted as fast as he could, and attempted to jump off the back of the bike only to be held in place by the car as it pinned his left leg against the motorcycle. His breathing hitched as a surge of pain shot through his leg and down his ankle. He sucked in a breath as he was released from the grasp of the car and slammed down against the pavement. He heard two loud pops as his leg was released from where it was pinned, feeling the sweat rush down his head as his vision began to swim. He was hit with an insane amount of nausea as he fought to keep in his display of pain. He wasn't the type to show emotion, but damn, this hurt like hell. He let out a pained moan that sounded more like a strangled cry. The burning in his leg was insane, he knew he had to have broken a bone or two.

Turning over on his left side, he grit his teeth as he tightly grasped his leg in an attempt to supress the pain. He lay on the ground for what felt like hours, biting his lip and increasing the pressure in his left hand on his knee, and his right on the back of his ankle. He silently cried out in pain as an intense wave of pain shot through once again. Chaos, he was going to throw up. He rolled on his back, allowing his leg to stay in its bent position as he groped the sides of his helmet for the latches. Snapping them free, he began to pull his helmet off, only to be interrupted by a sharp pain causing him to moan in discomfort.

Nausea was surfacing once again. He hurriedly pulled off his helmet and breathed in a breath of fresh air. He immediately felt slightly better as the nausea passed and was replaced with dizziness. He threw his helmet to the side, closing his eyes and focused on keeping himself still. He had always had a problem sitting still, but chaos, when he was in pain, it was ten thousand times more difficult. His hand traveled down to his knee, resting it lightly in an attempt to calm the throbbing pain. He glanced back at the car, noticing the driver still hadn't left the vehicle. He hoped they were okay. Although it was hard for him to feel pity for others, he felt a pang of guilt as he thought back to his second long mistake. It wasn't his fault, but he could have avoided getting hurt.

With his right hand, he brushed back a stray quill as his left hand began to search the floor for his phone. It had been in his jacket pocket beforehand, but who knew where it had flown during the impact. Straining his arm so as not to move his leg, he gripped a corner of the shattered screen of his phone and pulled it towards him, fully grasping the base as it neared him. He picked it up and pushed the power button. The screen dimly lit up his face as the sun finally set, sending a cold chill down his spine when he saw the time.

2100 (9:00). For safety precautions, mobians were not permitted to drive after 2130. After that, unmanned drone cars were sent to seek out and arrest anybody that was driving after dark. He knew that he could be arrested, but part of him was glad he would be found. Bernadette would likely br--.

'Jules! ' He thought. He picked his phone up again and opened it, scrolling through his contacts and tapping his brother's name. He put the phone on speaker and placed it on his chest, then trailed his hands down to his leg as the dial tone echoed around him. After a few rings, he heard his brother's voice.

'Hello? '

Charles wrestled with his thoughts as he choked on his words.

"Jules, I-..." He sucked in a breath as sharp pains licked his knee and ankle.

' Where are you and what have you done? '

"I'm two miles south of Knothole," he began. He attempted to sit back on his elbows but flopped back down in pain and let out a pained moan.

' Are you okay? Why are you out so late? '

The concern was heavy in Jules' voice, but he remained calm as he explained the situation.

"Ah, quite playin', b--"

"Fine then, don't help me." he said sarcastically as he tapped his fingers against the ground impatiently. It was times like this that made him wonder why he relies on his brother so much.

He winced as he hung up and continued to feel the cramping, burning sensation coursing throughout his leg. Turning his head towards the sky, he gazed at the stars above him and let his mind wander. He was dizzy, in pain, and the nausea had resurfaced. He felt tired and fatigued. He had gotten plenty of sleep the night before, despite the nightmares that plagued his mind. About an hour had passed since the accident. He contemplated taking a quick nap, but his thoughts were interrupted by a Jeep pulling up a few metres away, then backing up so the back of the Jeep was parallel with his right side. A few moments later, his robian brother hopped out of the driver's side. Charles attempted to focus his vision on the second figure coming towards him but gave up, turning his head away from the figures and to his bike.

The entire left side had been smashed in and the right side had been chipped and grazed as it slid across the floor. His head began to feel heavy and his breathing forced as he fought to stay awake. He felt a warm hand touch his neck and rest slightly below his jawline, checking his pulse. He heard Dr. Quack's voice and something about consciousness, but couldn't fight his battle any longer.

He closed his eyes and his world went black.

Jules circled the wreckage around his elder sibling. Confusion struck him hard. Charles was always a careful driver, so how did he manage to get into a wreck with a drone car? He had gotten a call from him late at night asking for a ride. His brother had explained that there was an accident, but what worried Jules the most was the pain in his voice.

On the way out, he had made a phone call to the doctor asking if he would mind coming along. Quack was hesitant at first, but obliged when hearing the news. Hurriedly, he grabbed his medical duffle bag and headed off with the robian. Bernadette wasn't too happy about her husband leaving after restricted hours but he decided he would have to deal with her later.

So here he was. In the middle of the freeway, dragging the totaled motorcycle back to the Jeep while Dr. Quack tended to his unconscious brother's injuries. He looked terrible. The skilled doctor placed the final touches on the temporary splint over both sides of Charles' leg and looked over at Jules.

"We should have called an ambulance," the doctor remarked. "He'd be better off that way. Less work for us." he chuckled.

Jules smirked lightly as he pushed the rest of the bike into the back of the car. "He'd also kill us. We could never pay it off." he sighed. It was true. An ambulance costed a whopping 70 mobiums, and that's without the medical treatment. His brother would strangle the bolts out of him if he woke up to find he was in debt. An ambulance was exclusively for people who could afford it. Although he did work for the king, he didn't make enough to support a family of five. Tails had his parents back, but as much as he thought about them, he couldn't find himself loving them. Therefore, he had come running back to the man that raised him all his life. After opening the diner, Charles' success skyrocketed with his large amounts of customers and was easily able to support the family. But it would never be enough to cover the cost of expensive medical equipment.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a groan coming for his brother's general area. He immediately traveled over, resting a cold hand on his forehead to calm his down if the need arose. After a few more confused moans, Charles peered open his eyes, then closed them once again. Sighing, he tossed his head around, unintentionally shaking Jules' hand off and scaring himself. Now fully awake, his eyes snapped open in surprise.

"I'm still on the floor?!" he groaned. He refrained from moving when he felt Dr. Quack's hands lightly grip his shoulders.

Quack sighed as he recalled how Jules had explained the situation. "Yes, and unless you get up, that's where you're staying."

Jules moved behind his brother. If Charles was in too much pain to stand, they would have no choice but to call an ambulance. Lightly pushing the doc aside, he grabbed his brother's shoulders and pulled him into a sitting position, earning a loud yelp as Charles' leg straightened slightly.

He threw his head back as his brother gently pulled him up from his laying position on the floor to a sitting position. He yelped as his knee straightened by less than an inch, earning a concerned look from the doc. Nighttime had fallen, and the sounds of drone cars whizzing by filled the air. He leaned back against Jules' legs, breathing heavily and briefly holding a hand up to halt his actions. He didn't like to be a wimp, but he felt like he was going to pass out and he needed time to get his shit together. He closed his eyes and focused on ignoring the pain.

"How do you...feel?" the doc asked. Charles stared ahead, looking aside and raising an eyebrow at the doctor.

He took a deep breath. "You do realize how stupid that sounds, right?" It came out shaper than he meant, but it was true. He felt his brother massage his shoulders to ease his discomfort. Sighing, he allowed himself to relax as a wry smile painted its way across his face.

"You know that feeling when you're falling asleep and you start dreaming, but you're still conscious?" Charles chuckled at the feeling he was currently experiencing.

The doc tilted his head in amusement. "Son," he began. "I'm asking if you feel well enough to get in the car."

Charles gave him a blank stare and glanced down at his leg, then back up at his brother. His eyes wandered as though they were searching for something. His breathing was still heavy as he fought to keep his tears of pain in. Looking back at the doc, he closed his eyes.

"I can get up, but not on my own." He sighed. He was in so much pain, but the doc was right. He needed to get out of there.

Jules spoke up when his brother had stayed quiet for some time. "I can pull you up, but you're gonna have to keep your mouth shut." He continued to massage Charles' shoulders, hoping to calm his nerves before he caused his brother more pain.

Quack nodded his head in agreement. "If you're still in too much pain, we can always resort to calling an ambulance." He furrowed his brow when Charles pulled out of his brother's grasp.

"We can't do that!" Charles exclaimed. He looked up at his brother. "You know we can't do that!". His eyes were wide. He couldn't afford it. He would never be able to. He shook his head as he thought of all the bills he would be paying for the rest of his life. His thoughts were cut short as he felt his head swim.

The doc rushed over to him when he saw a look of discomfort paint across the knight's face. Placing his hand on Charles' forehead, the doctor felt for a temperature. Charles moaned in pain as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back once again. Jules knelt down and pulled his brother back against his chest.

"Lay him down," the doc began. "I'm calling an ambulance. Enough of this macho act--"

"You can't do that! " Charles exclaimed. "You don't know the mess that would leave me in! ". He was clearly in pain. He didn't know why he was even trying to keep up the act. He gasped for breath when he felt the pain circulating through his leg. Jules moved his hands from their place on his brother's shoulders and looped his arms through his shoulders. He slowly leaned him back to where he was touching the pavement and rested his brother's head in his lap and stroked his head.

With a sharp breath, Charles grit his teeth and froze in place. He moaned through his teeth as he squeezed his eyes shut. Hearing a click, he peeked open his eyes and gasped when he saw his brother holding his work pistol.

"Jules! What are you doing?!" Charles exclaimed. Jules and the doc jumped when he heard him speak from beneath him. Pulling a bullet out of the barrel, he held it above his brother's mouth.

"Shut up. Open your mouth _without_ saying anything." Charles opened his mouth long enough for the bullet to be placed in. He bit down on it gratefully as he channeled his pain into the bullet.

The doc pulled out his phone and prepared to dial emergency services when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he saw Jules pull himself out from under Charles and grab his brother's hand. Charles was... twitching. Quack quickly dialed 911 and left the phone on the floor as he rushed over to where he lay. Charles turned his head and spit the bullet out of his mouth.

The doc rummaged through his medical bag for an oxygen mask. He knew what was coming, but he didn't prepare for it in time. He turned his head to a confused Jules. "He might be having a seizure." Jules looked from the doc to his brother, than back at the doc.

"What--, I don't--,". Jules was terrified. Charles had never had any health problems, much less seizures. The robian kept his eyes on the doc as he watched him prepare an oxygen tank.

Charles moaned as he rode through feelings he'd never felt before. He felt scared, confused, and sick all at once. He felt like he was going to throw up, but nothing was coming up. His body jerked forward as he felt his eyes roll back. He couldn't see. He couldn't breath. With every convulsion he gasped for air. He felt his head pounding as it slammed against the ground helplessly. His knee boiled in pain as his entire body shook. He wanted to scream in pain but he felt his throat close with each jerk.

Dr. Quack shoved a towel under the sergeant's head to protect it from the pavement. He continued preparing the oxygen mask as he waited for the seizure to pass. Jules had given up. His head was in his hands as he was on the phone with his wife, explaining the current situation and shaking his head in disbelief.

Turning back to his patient, the doc watched as minutes passed and the seizure slowed to a stop. He placed the oxygen mask over Charles' mouth and nose and observed the sight before him. His eyes were still rolled back, and he had stopped breathing. Turning on the oxygen tank, he watched as Charles' chest rose and fell in a timely manner. Jules slowly walked back as he finished the call with his wife and sat back down next to his sibling.

Charles sucked in a breath as he felt a new sense of life fill his body. His eyes rolled forward and his eyelids dropped shut as his seizure finally stopped and his body returned to its natural position. He let out a quiet cry of pain as he felt his leg throb painfully in sync with his heartbeat. Jules' hand rested on his neck and his thumb rubbed in a calming manner that covered him.

After a few minutes, Jules moved his hand from his brother's neck down to his chest and rubbed above his lungs, aiding him in breathing as he spoke up.

"D-- Did I-- I--"

"Take your time." Jules chuckled. It killed him to see his brother suffering like that, and he wanted to do all he could to help him, even if it meant shutting him up while he caught his breath.

Charles grimaced as he closed his eyes, took a shaky breath and attempted to speak, but gave up when he blacked out as pain shot through him. He moaned as he heard sirens in the distance. He didn't know if they were coming to arrest him or to help him, but the last time he checked he didn't care anymore.

Hearing the sirens, Quack packed up his medical supplies and examined his patient's leg once more. He felt along the limb for broken bones, breathing out a sigh of contentment when it felt stable. He shook his head as he spoke up.

"You don't seem to have broken any bones," he began. "but we're still going to have to order some scans when we get to the hospital,". Charles scoffed at the doctor's words. He hated being helped; he was afraid people would see him as weak and timid. Closing his eyes, he pinned his ears against his head as the sound of sirens grew louder and closer.

Anxiety kicked in as he thought of helplessly laying in a bed with needles puncturing his arms. He didn't want people to see him like this. He didn't want people to know that he was hurt. His family saw him as strong and brave, how would they react to seeing him injured?

Noticing the tension in his brother's breathing pattern, Jules sat closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or are you just going to sit there?" the robian whispered in his brother's ear. He watched as it flicked against the sound waves, then flick again as it rested back against his head. Charles opened his eyes just enough to acknowledge him, then closed them again as he spoke a convincing lie.

"My head," he took a deep breath in, exhaling as he continued. "it's pounding like crazy. I can't even hear myself think." He didn't exactly lie. His head was indeed pounding, but that wasn't what he was concerned about. He moaned as he heard the sirens scream one last time before coming to a stop meters away. The ambulance parked a couple of paces away from him and sat there for a while, giving the doc some time to speak with him.

"You won't have to worry about that once they get you in there," he stated. "I'll give you some anesthetics to ease most of the pain on the way to the hospital." Charles nodded his head lightly as he closed his eyes again and attempted to act relieved. He kept his eyes closed as he heard the hustle of EMTs gathering medical supplies and making their way towards him. He looked to his brother in fear of the new experience.

"Why're you so scared?" Jules began. "It's not as scary as it seems." The robian had been in his share of ambulances as a child. He was ways running around getting into trouble, and it wasn't until he was roboticized that he stopped his childish ways. Charles' breathing quickened as he fessed up.

"I don't want to go alone." He felt the anxious tears well up in his baby blue eyes. "I don't want them to see me like this." The tears were on the verge of streaming, but luckily his brother was there to cheer him up as always.

"Well shit, you could've just said something, bro," Jules began. "But I have to go pick Bernie and Sonic up. You do want them to see you, right?" Charles eyes shut tight as the EMTs came closer. He was terrified of being left alone in a car full of people he didn't know or like. He moaned in distress as sharp pains stabbed his knee.

"No need." the doc stated. "We can call a zone pickup. They'll come and get the car." He was right. Zone pickup came to your vehicle with two people, and left with one in each car. Then, they took your car back home for a small fee. Simple.

Charles nodded his head in relief. He sucked in a sharp breath through gritted teeth as the bandages around his ankle were unwrapped. He moaned in pain as they lifted his leg into a more stable splint, a thick one with padding and cooling gel. Never in a million years would he have thought that an ambulance was more comfortable than an ordinary car. To him, it was just a big truck with fancy lights and a bed with wheels.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when said gurney was rolled out of the ambulance and next to him. He bit his lip as they lifted him onto it, causing him to feel dizzy in the process. The pain was searing as he was strapped into a positing that allowed him to lean back comfortably, easing some of the pain as his body was allowed to relax. Jules followed close behind him, shoving his hands in his coat pockets as he watched the ambulance light up the street around them in a series of blue and red flashes.

His eyes focused on the commotion as he watched the doc climb in before his brother's gurney, then helping the EMTs gently lift him into the vehicle. Once he was locked in place, the doc motioned for him to hop in. Jules sat on one of the ledges and gripped his brother's hand. He watched as Charles eyes danced around in confusion.

"What'cha thinking about?" He asked.

"I-," Charles began, "I'm going to-"

Jules looked into his brother's eyes as fear shone through them. Rubbing his thumb against his hand, he coaxed a few more words out of him.

"You're going to...?"

"...Nevermind" **(I'm sorry, it's 2am and I can't find the words to think, so the rest of this story reads like shit. Enjoy it :) )**

Charles thoughts hit him hard. He was safe. The ambulance hadn't even started the engine and he was already freaking out. Jules narrowed his eyes and stared straight ahead in confusion.

"You're fine, kid." The doctor chuckled. "You're going into shock."

"Shock?". Jules was more than ready for the day to be over.

"He's not getting enough oxygen to his brain," he sighed as he continued. "so he may start hallucinating a bit."

Jules watched as Quack's hands opened packages of needles and vials, connecting them to tubes and bags filled with various liquids. Opening a sanitizing cloth, he put it aside as he reached for Charles arm, bringing it closer to him to clean the area around his vein. Jules watched intently as he threw the cloth aside once more and brought a needle connected to a bag of clear fluid towards his patient's arm.

Quack waited until Charles had seen the needle and had his time to freak out to puncture his arm with the sharp object. Jules watched as his brother turned his head away, peering out of the corner of his eye to see the action. Once the fluid was running steadily, the doctor turned to the oxygen tank and increased its flow, sending more oxygen to Charles brain, allowing him to think clearly for a few minutes.

"What is that?" Charles asked, motioning to the needle that had been taped into his arm.

The doc couldn't help but laugh as he explained the future that awaited his patient.

"It's a general anesthetic." He fought to keep his composure. "You won't feel a thing once it kicks in, much less remember."

Charles' eyes narrowed as he glared at the liquid. He wanted to fight it. It was giving him bad vibes. He--

"What are you doing?" Jules laughed. The scientist turned his head to his brother.

"I'm hungry."

He heard his speech slur ever so slightly as though he was drunk. Jules placed a hand over his robian mouth as he giggled into it. The doc knocked twice against the wall separating them and the driver, signaling them to start driving. Now that Charles was anesthetized, he wouldn't have to worry about feeling pain during the ride.

The ambulance rumbled as it took off, sirens signaling other drone cars to steer clear of the vehicle. Jules watched his brother as he lay comfortably against the gurney. His breathing was stable and he was free of pain. He drummed his fingers against his forehead as he became lost in the thought of how he was going to get his wife and son to the hospital once his brother had been admitted.

Charles sighed as the pain in his knee and ankle died down to a dull ache. It was still throbbing, but it was better than nothing. Turning towards his younger sibling, he watched in awe as his brother seemed to be thinking for once. His hand traveled down to his leg as a painful ache shook through the limb, rubbing his knee to ease the pain. He watched as the doc examined his leg further now that there was no pain as a barrier.

Throwing his hand aside impatiently, he moved his right leg to keep the circulation flowing. He groaned as he lifted his back off the gurney.

"Hey," he said quietly, shaking Jules out of his thoughts. His younger brother looked up at him in concern.

"Yeah? You okay?" He could tell he was nervous.

Charles smiled at his brother's concern. "I'm fine. Did you get my phone?"

Jules rummaged through his pocket, pulling out a cracked phone and handing it to him. He took it, thanking him and receiving a quick 'mmhm'. He scrolled through a few messages from concerned coworkers before reaching a certain contact. He texted the person a quick question, asking if they would pick up the rest of his family and bring them to the hospital. Within minutes, he received a reply confirming his request.

He tapped his brother on the head, this time making sure he irritated him a bit. Jules looked up once more, glancing at the phone in his sibling's hand.

_"Still fine?"_ Jules sneered.

_"Yes."_ he scoffed. He playfully punched his brother in the shoulder, earning a scowl in return.

"You can stop thinking now, brat." he continued.

"What about?" Jules said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Charles' eyes wandered a bit before continuing. "Sally's going to pick them up." Jules raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Flopping back down on the gurney, he handed his phone back to his brother and closed his eyes.

"Sonic told her what happened, so now she wants to come over. I might as well kill two birds with the same stone."

Jules leaned back against the wall of the ambulance, content with his sibling's answer.

"Well, I guess that works." Jules snickered. "Now shut up and go to sleep, old man."

He jumped as his brother shot up and attempted to grab his arm.

"Shut up," he pouted. "I'm barely forty two. If anyone's old, it's you, tin can."

They were mean when they joked, but it's how they were. The boys were rough with each other. Always. Jules laughed as he pushed his brother back against the gurney. Charles closed his eyes, feeling fatigue wash over him as the ambulance came to a stop in front of the hospital.

**hnnnnnn****So this is my first fic. This isn't a one shot, but I will continue the story if I get some reviews asking me to!****I'm super self conscious of this fic because I find it really cringe worthy, but if you came to see some screaming in pain and all that sh*t, stay tuned, because the best is yet to come! I'm so excited for the rest of this fic!!! Just a little peek at what I'm working on... eventually he's going to need to move his leg sometime, forced or not, right? Hospitals have a lot of pain, so you pain lovers are going to fall in love...?****Okay welp, stay tuned for Chapter 2!**


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